Sinn Fein deputy leader Pearse Doherty has called for a debate about the
possibility of establishing an all-island soccer team, following the
resignation of Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane as the Ireland management
team.

Mr Doherty contrasted the dismal fortunes of the national soccer team
with a historic win by the all-island Irish rugby team against New
Zealand earlier this month.

“Irish teams are stronger and they’re better when they’re all-Ireland
teams. And we already have all-Ireland teams in sports like hockey,
rugby and boxing,” he said.

A series of dismal performances by the ‘Republic of Ireland’ squad in
the UEFA Nations League finally spelled the end of a high-cost,
low-yield management team. Former manager Mick McCarthy has been named
as their replacement, returning to the post after 16 years.

The ‘Northern Ireland’ squad, which has a smaller pool of players to
draw from, has long had similar results. Other than a victory over
Israel in a friendly in September, it has struggled on the international
stage this year. It is traditionally the team supported by loyalists.

The two sides played a scoreless draw in a friendly in Dublin on
November 15. Despite some contentious incidents, there was no trouble at
a fixture which has been associated with serious disturbances in the
past.

Pearse Doherty pointed to a suggestion by former Taoiseach Enda Kenny a
number of years ago, “when he said an all-Ireland soccer team should
take on England every two years and the money raised should go to
charity for children”.

He added: “I don’t think it makes sense that our small island would have
two separate teams, splitting the pool of talent, splitting the
resources that are available.”

A number of surveys had shown support north and south of the border for
such a team, he said.

“Is it not time that we started this conversation following what we’ve
done in rugby, hockey, boxing and other sports?” Mr Doherty asked.

“Sport demonstrates that we can achieve great success when we work on an
all-Ireland basis.”

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